Many device users have electronic and computing devices, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile phones, tablet computers, multimedia devices, and other similar devices. These types of computing devices are utilized for many different computing applications, such as for graphic design, publication development, and various other types of computing applications that include a user interface with displayed objects that can be moved, repositioned, aligned, and the like. However, manipulating multiple objects in a user interface so that they are aligned, centered, and/or distributed evenly, such as for a publication layout or in a graphic design, can be difficult, resulting in a poor user experience. The alignment and proximity of objects are two of the most fundamental principles of visual perception and design, as they are used to convey relationships between the objects.
Conventional distribution and alignment snapping in design tools are not comprehensive, can be unpredictable, inconsistent, and typically increase visual noise in the user interface. A clutter of indicators are distractions without giving the user more or accurate information about the object layout. It can be difficult for a user to design and layout objects precisely when not being able to determine exactly how far apart objects are when spacing the objects, or whether objects are exactly aligned. Often the distribution and/or alignment indicators in design tools may be too small to convey useful user information, particularly when the objects are large in comparison. Further, distance measurement labels may cover over parts of the objects, may be ambiguous as to the identified distance, may be missing or only partially displayed, or the indicators may be clipped outside of the viewable area of the user interface all-together.